1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plug connection device, preferably for exterior rearview mirrors of motor vehicles, comprising a plug housing having at least one contact which can be inserted into a complementary plug having at least one complementary contact.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, it has become conventional to mount turn signal lights in the exterior rearview mirror of motor vehicles, and these turn signal lights must be supplied with the required electric current. For this purpose, in the exterior rearview mirror a plug connection device is provided which is comprised of a plug housing and a complementary plug. Both components must be plugged into one another when mounting the exterior rearview mirror in order to provide the lighting device of the turn signal light with the required current. Often, these components must be inserted into one another xe2x80x9cblindxe2x80x9d, i.e., without the laborer being able to see the components. This means that the proper contacting after plugging in can no longer be inspected from the exterior by the laborer. Accordingly, it happens frequently that the complementary plug and the plug housing are not inserted properly into one another, in particular, when these two components are not properly aligned with one another.
It is an object of the present invention to configure the plug connection device of the aforementioned kind such that a proper and reliable contacting can be achieved when inserting or plugging in the two components, even when the components are not precisely aligned with one another.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the plug housing and/or the complementary plug are movable relative to one another during insertion or plugging in.
Since the plug housing and/or the complementary plug of the plug connection device according to the invention can be moved relative to one another during insertion or plugging in, the components can be inserted into one another reliably even when they are not precisely aligned with one another. As a result of the movability of the plug housing and/or of the complementary plug it is thus ensured that even for a xe2x80x9cblindxe2x80x9d assembly the two components can be inserted into one another reliably. The plug connection device according to the invention is used advantageously for exterior rearview mirrors of motor vehicles, but, of course, can also be used in any situation where contacting by insertion of two components of a plug connection device is required.
An especially advantageous solution results when a plug holder, which receives the plug housing, is provided and secures the contact within the plug housing against displacement when connecting the plug housing and the complementary plug. This ensures that the contact is not pushed by the complementary contact of the complementary plug out of the plug housing during insertion which then would prevent contacting. This securing function ensures that the contact(s) in the plug housing cannot be moved out of the plug housing during insertion into one another.